Dance to the Beat Boeing

The Brits like to call a record like this "boogie."  It reminds me a lot of the classic We got the Funk by Positive Force.  In any case it's made in Italy disco music before the whole italo thing had taken hold.  There are a few examples of this sound from 1982, 1983 and some are great.
BOEING
I sold my import Good Vibes record copy for a pretty penny back in the day.  There's a Full Time records Italy version that was released in 2018 with an edit by a D.J. from Perugia called Moplen who has a big presence on SoundCloud.  It's a limited edition pressing with three other great Italian classics on it.

Fun Fun Italo Disco Divas

In typical Italian disco style the faces of Fun Fun were not the voices.  They used two models.

Ironically one of the original vocalists Ivana Spagna became a huge star both on her own with hits like Easy Lady and Call Me and as a chanteuse with feats such as winning the San Remo festival

The debut single Happy Station was a solid dance hit throughout the world.  It went beyond the limits of the typical Italo Disco hit.  The follow-up Color my Love was even bigger and got a lot of play in clubs where Hi Nrg ruled like The Saint in New York and Badlands in D.C.

Give me Your Love (sounded like an Italian Bananarama) and Living in Japan were also successful.   Color in fact went all the way up to #9 on the U.S. Dance Charts.

Their second album wasn't quite as successful as their first and then they stopped recording under that name.  By then Ivana Spagna had had more success then Fun Fun ever did.

There's actually an earlier Ivana Spagna dance record from before Fun Fun that I'll add the post later. It's obscure but quite nice.  

BONUS SPAGNA

FUN

SUCH FUN

SO MUCH FUN

IVANA SPAGNA FACEBOOK

IVANA SPAGNA INSTAGRAM

How Classy was Scritti Politti? My 80's idol

  REFRESHEDGreg Wilson Edit LINKS FROM A 2010 BLOG, REFRESHED EVEN FURTHER JULY 2016

                                                                                                         photo credit Steve Elm






photo credit Furio Andreotti

CABARET TIME!
AN ABSOLUTE ZIP
BIG SCRITTI ZIP
I'll admit I've always had a weakness for a falsetto, from the soulful Stylistics to the disco pop of the Bee Gees. But there was one singer that took it to the max for me and became my idol in the process.

Wales born, Paul Julian Strohmeyer recorded under the alias Green Gartside as the lead vocalist for Scritti Politti. Scritti began recording in 1978 as a post punk band and reached their peak in 1984 as a synth heavy, sampling and midi-sequencing electronic dance pop act. They were active even as  recently as 2006 with the l.p. White Bread and Black Beer. Though only Green Gartside remained from the original incarnation.


Scritti Politti seemed to have their hands in many bags, influenced by many genres of music from soul and reggae to disco, funk and synth. Using super high quality experimental production techniques and getting a hand from the legendary Arif Mardin (Bee Gees and Chaka Khan to name a few) they were able to capitalize on the Synth Pop that was hot in the early 80's and still hold onto to enough of a disco sound to make music that was supremely danceable.

They also featured superb graphics and marketing. A new Scritti Politti 12" was bound to have a beautiful picture cover and many of their fans became collector's who wanted to have the latest pressing even if they already had the song in their collections. Not unlike the rabid Smiths fans of the time.

They broke in a big way with their double A side of Wood Beez (pray like Aretha Franklin) and Absolute. What does it mean that each night he goes to bed he prays like Aretha Franklin? Damned if I knew but it sounded great. The song also includes one of my favorite lines from a song:

"there's nothing I wouldn't do including doing nothing."

Green's voice was just perfect. It seemed to caress the music.  Falsetto but not fem. Lyrics full of irony and mock philosophy. Intelligent pop.

The music was synth but not techno. Danceable but not agressive. Kraftwerk meets Abba.

Fred Maher of the band Material joined Scritti Politti as a drummer and this is when they catapulted to fame.
Cupid and Psyche 85 sold as an l.p. in America because Perfect Way became a pop hit in 1985. It went all the way to #11 pop and for two seconds a few people knew who Scritti Politti were. The mix by the legendary Francois K. didn't hurt. Though this sort of disappointed me cause they felt so English import to me and furthermore Perfect Way was one of the worst songs on the l.p. But alas it coined them a one hit wonder destined for inclusion in one of those VH1 run-downs on whatever happened to thems.

They should have made it big with Hypnotize.  But at least it was their most attractive 12" cover.  The Word Girl is also genius, pure reggae in falsetto.

By this time I was growing out my hair to look more like my idol Green. At one point I succeded though I had more of a natural wave that made my locks fall into curls at the bottom. By the time I moved to New York City in 1988 and became a club monster I started incorporating extensions and what had been curly interspersed with straight hair became more like dread locks. Hey the look worked for a while there. Now it kind of looks silly in retrospect but doesn't everything twenty years later?

By the time Provision came out in 1988 I didn't care about Scritti Politti much anymore. But once in my heart always in my heart so here I post a more recent picture of Green Gartside and I can always wish for some major triumphant come-back that will make me worship at the temple of Green once again.

Stay with me Tonight

Wow this quarantine situation has definitely reflected a great increase in traffic to my blog.  Though i may be partly responsible since I've been posting so excessively these past few days.

Today's offering is a German record.  A blatant attempt by ZYX to cash in on the Italo Disco trend while certainly giving it a Euro Dance taste too.  Stay with me Tonight even starts out with an introduction in Italian and rap so we could say they were throwing in everything but the kitchen sink with this one.

What can I say about it other then it's pure cheese, and you know that just means I love it!
HER OFFICIAL WEBSITE
STAY WITH ME TONIGHT
Patty Ryan followed up Stay with me Tonight with the Europa dance single You're my Love, You're my Life both released 1986.   HER OTHER OFFICIAL WEBSITE

She has also occasionally collaborated with Modern Talking's Dieter Bohlen.  Some of her songs are actually based upon Modern Talking melodies.

Life Force with the vocals of Dotty Green had a few Hi Nrg releases in 1984 and 1985.

Pretty frivolous and light and very much synonymous with the Hi Nrg sound that was so popular after the disco era.  Songs like this got a lot of play at Heaven in London and The Saint in New York City and Trocadero Transfer in San Francisco.  

As A.I.D.S. decimated the community this sound pretty much went to the wayside.  House became the standard and more Euro Dance was being made which brought that lightweight dance sound into the late 80's and 90's.  

At the time it wasn't my favorite.  But as entries in my disco museum they are valid to be aware of and to be embraced by some, why not?

What a Way to Go was the first Maxi Single

Invitation was the second dance hit for Life Force

Pirana Adel Scandy Super Band early Celso Valli magic

An upbeat 1979 style slice of disco magic.
PIRANA

I.M.S Italo Disco 1983

A couple tracks from the seminal italo disco l.p. from 1983 International Music System.

AN ENGLISH '93

RUN AWAY

Underwater by Harry Thumann

This brilliant early Italo Disco track became the theme song to the Italian t.v. show Discoring.

Released in 1979 on the seminal disco label Baby it's one of those futuristic records that still sounds great today.

Italo Disco Classic Can't be Serious by Ginny

CAN'T BE SERIOUS

Kinda New Wave, Kinda Italo Disco an independent label British record from 1985 that definitely deserves to be remembered.

I'm crazy about Nancy Martinez or if you love yourself some Nancy Martinez like I love me some Nancy Martinez...

THE RAREST NANCY, HER VERSION OF LA VIE EN ROSE 

Refreshed Links

NANCY ZIP

Born Nancy Catherine Julia Martinez to John and Maureen Martinez from Rosemount, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Nancy's multi-cultural genes may very well have had an influence on her natural talent. Her father was Spanish and her mother was of Welsh origin.  However, although her aspirations were to follow another career path she began to hone her musical skills early in life. Vocal lessons and luck helped Nancy land many jobs at clubs and parties.  She eventually parlayed her talent into the role of background singer.  In 1980-81 she toured with recording artist Chatelaine ("Take Me") as well as touring and studio work with René and Nathalie Simard and disco sensation Kat Mandu ("The Break") to name a few.
It happens all the Time 
It happens all the Time was a release from 1987 on Disconet.

Quebec's very own Nancy Martinez!
Nancy felt uncomfortable about signing as an artist.  However, she agreed to record for producer Domenic Sciullo but refused to use her real name.  Her first solo release was "Can't Believe" credited to Nancy Martin.  The song spread over Canada like wildfire eventually reaching the U.S. where Atlantic Records picked it up for release.  This was her first American hit, but later that year she scored an even bigger success internationally with "I'm Gonna Get Your Love" credited to Jade. Thanks to a Disconet remix (U.S.A.) and versions on Polydor (Canada), Rams Horn (Holland) and Dureco-Benelux (Netherlands) the song became a global sensation. 
1983 gave us several brilliant Nancy releases including So Excited and Take it Slowly both of which were staples at The Saint.  cant believe and la vie in case the other link dies
Can't Believe 
 Nancy Martin was her first alias but she ended up using a few.  The instrumental  Twelve Inch Vocal  Sizzling Hot White Label Mix
By far the best Nancy Martinez record is Can't Believe.  It's cosmic, it's disco, it's dark, it's just the right groove.  It was in 1982 and it is in 2011 too.  It got picked up by Atlantic in the states and shot up to #5 on the U.S. Disco Charts.
The 1984 release on Matra and J.C. Records Canada was sort of unusual.  It was an attempt to capitalize on the fact that Laid Back's Sunshine Reggae was a huge hit all over the world yet not in North America.  Then they thought to segue into her version of La Vie en Rose.  She is of course fluent in French so why not?  Believe it or not it works though.
 TAKE IT SLOWLY

Jade takes me back to the Frat House in Dupont Circle D.C.

I was a Freshman at University and I was first coming into contact with Hi NRG the clubs.  Nancy's alias as Jade "I'm Gonna Get Your Love" was massive.  It brings me back to such a time of sheer dancing joy.
After a couple years break she went full-stop Freestyle with the massive "Move Out."  MOVE OUT  It hit #12 on the dance charts.

Her biggest hit was the 1986 freestyle smash "For Tonight" though likeable it was a far more commercial sound.  It peaked at #2 on the dance charts.

It's follow-up in 1987 "Can't Wait" took the sound one step further.  I think it's a more hardcore dance record then "For Tonight" was.  Freestyle was still the sound on that one. CAN'T WAIT CAN'T WAIT GIMME YOUR LOVE  
The third hit in a row, Can't Wait hit #17 on the Billboard Dance Charts.

Here's an interview with our diva.

Even now Nancy does jingles.  She's quite happy to be able to work from home.

2001's Italian release For the First Time saw her getting dance-floor action once again.  Her voice is full and soulful.  She really shows on this track that she's a capable vocalist.

FOR THE FIRST TIME

Amin-Peck was Italo Disco Elite

RefresheSUICIDAL DISCO VERSIONd to include more music.

Italo disco, minimal, electronic disco call it what you will but Amin Peck was hot.  Suicidal in 1983 being among their best.  I've also included Coda from their debut e.p. from 1982.

Amin Peck were an italian band leaded by Giorgio Fioroni (aka George Fyron, arrangements, production, vocals) with Leonard Parker (arrangments, keyboards) and Max Marne (production).
GET SUICIDAL
CODA
They are perfect for the disco vinyl blog.  I want to remember as much of this kind of music as possible  and I hope that my efforts are appreciated by you.
AMIN PECK ON FACEBOOK

I really like what wikipedia has to say about them so I'm going to cut and paste it directly.

Profile

Like most ’80s electronic bands, Amin-Peck walked a fine line between Disco and Minimal Wave throughout the course of the early 1980s, oftentimes incorporating shameless Pop melodies and Avant-garde leanings. Amin Peck were an italian band leaded by Giorgio Fioroni (aka George Fyron, arrangements, production, vocals) with Leonard Parker (arrangments, keyboards) and Max Marne (production). Incredible but true, Amin Peck started as 'hard rock' guitar band in the 70's... You can also find some tracks on YouTube before became one of the best examples of italo disco.

A ZIP OF PECK